"should they (ND) at any point in time give up (football) independence that they come

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"should they (ND) at any point in time give up (football) independence that they come

to the ACC."

"That’s a huge commitment, one that they never had in the Big East. In fact, it was well-known they would not have gone to the Big East in football no matter what situation played out.”

Steve Pederson Pitt AD

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick and president Rev. John Jenkins said they have no intention of forgoing football independence and that it is “central” to the school’s identity. But if negotiations on a new television contract with NBC – the current deal expires in 2015 – deadlock, or if football’s postseason structure changes again …

This was written by David Teel in September and I think a lot of people missed the significance of how this is trending. I didn't because I heard it was going this way almost 10 years ago. Here is the link and copy of the complete article since you might get blocked on the link: http://www.dailypress.com/sports/tee...,2101869.story

The conference and Notre Dame unveiled their partnership – five football games annually and full membership in other sports – Wednesday, almost a year to the day after the ACC announced the additions of Pitt and Syracuse.

“I’m happy with the agreement that we got,” Pederson told me over lunch. “I think what’s very significant in that agreement is the fact that should they at any point in time give up (football) independence that they come to the ACC.

“That’s a huge commitment, one that they never had in the Big East. In fact, it was well-known they would not have gone to the Big East in football no matter what situation played out.”

Notre Dame has called the Big East home since 1995, and over time its partial membership seemed to irritate the fully committed. Search online for Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma’s classic rant for evidence.

But Pederson, whose school exits the Big East for the ACC next year, said he never felt any resentment toward the Fighting Irish, and doesn’t anticipate any in the ACC.

“We’ve had a great, long-term relationship with Notre Dame,” he said. “I just never saw that as an issue in the Big East, as much as you heard talk about it. … We never personally subscribed to that. They were really historically our closest partner in the Big East.”

Pederson relayed that experience to ACC commissioner John Swofford during negotiations with Notre Dame.

“John is great. He talks to everybody in the league about everything,” Pederson said. “So you always know what’s going on. And he and I talked about a myriad of things, including Notre Dame. You didn’t know how all of this would play itself out. I didn’t know if we’d get to an agreement. But I’m glad that we did.”

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick and president Rev. John Jenkins said they have no intention of forgoing football independence and that it is “central” to the school’s identity. But if negotiations on a new television contract with NBC – the current deal expires in 2015 – deadlock, or if football’s postseason structure changes again …

“None of us could have predicted what transpired in the last two years,” Pederson said, “and so you can’t predict what the future might hold. But it’s nice to have the commitments that if things change, you know where they’re going. That’s pretty important.

“I think one thing they’ll find is, once they’re in the ACC and they’re dealing with all these people, they’re going to be just like us, which is, they’re going to be ecstatic at the relationships. Whatever our expectations were, everything has surpassed that.”

Even without full membership, Pederson believes Notre Dame will increase the ACC’s television value and give the conference more leverage in arranging its secondary bowl lineup.

Notre Dame’s agreement to play five football games each season against the ACC, rotating among the 14 full-time members, figures to curtail Pitt’s annual series against the Irish, contracted through 2016. The rivalry dates to 1909, and this marks its fifth consecutive season.

Pederson hopes the interruption allows the Panthers to renew a series with Penn State. So with sacrifice comes opportunity.

“I’ve always admired the fact that the NFL always does what’s right for the league,” Pederson said. “I think that’s the reason they’re so strong and so viable. They’ve always put the league above individual teams. And when I’m in the ACC I feel that same way.

“You know, people already made some scheduling concessions when we came into the league. Some people gave up some home-and-home basketball series they would have loved to continue. But they did what was right for the league. Now this is kind of our turn to do what’s right for the league.”

Pitt basketball coach Jamie Dixon, a confessed realignment junkie, said he was not surprised at Notre Dame’s ACC decision. In fact, shortly after the Panthers received their invitation last year, Dixon bumped into Irish coach Mike Brey.

“They’re on our schedules anyway,” Chryst said, immediately launching into more pressing matters. “What’s Virginia Tech gonna do on third down, and how are we gonna stop the big quarterback?”

NOTE: I interviewed Chryst, Dixon and Pederson in conjunction with my trip here for Saturday’s game. Look for much more from them about Pitt’s 2013 ACC arrival in Saturday’s Daily Press and here online.

I can be reached at 247-4636 or by e-mail at dteel@dailypress.com. Follow me at twitter.com/DavidTeelatDP

Even as a non-football member, Notre Dame's 2 or 3 football games vs. ACC opponents on ESPN/ABC are of more value than any Rutgers or Maryland football game on ESPN/ABC/BTN. I would even go as far to say that Louisville's football games would bring higher television ratings (locally) than either Maryland or Rutgers. College football is a bigger deal in Kentuckiana than the I-95 Northeast corridor.

Like Pederson said, “None of us could have predicted what transpired in the last two years and so you can’t predict what the future might hold. But it’s nice to have the commitments that if things change, you know where they’re going. That’s pretty important."

"That’s a huge commitment, one that they never had in the Big East. In fact, it was well-known they would not have gone to the Big East in football no matter what situation played out.”

Steve Pederson Pitt AD

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick and president Rev. John Jenkins said they have no intention of forgoing football independence and that it is “central” to the school’s identity. But if negotiations on a new television contract with NBC – the current deal expires in 2015 – deadlock, or if football’s postseason structure changes again …

This was written by David Teel in September and I think a lot of people missed the significance of how this is trending. I didn't because I heard it was going this way almost 10 years ago. Here is the link and copy of the complete article since you might get blocked on the link: http://www.dailypress.com/sports/tee...,2101869.story

The conference and Notre Dame unveiled their partnership – five football games annually and full membership in other sports – Wednesday, almost a year to the day after the ACC announced the additions of Pitt and Syracuse.

“I’m happy with the agreement that we got,” Pederson told me over lunch. “I think what’s very significant in that agreement is the fact that should they at any point in time give up (football) independence that they come to the ACC.

“That’s a huge commitment, one that they never had in the Big East. In fact, it was well-known they would not have gone to the Big East in football no matter what situation played out.”

Notre Dame has called the Big East home since 1995, and over time its partial membership seemed to irritate the fully committed. Search online for Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma’s classic rant for evidence.

But Pederson, whose school exits the Big East for the ACC next year, said he never felt any resentment toward the Fighting Irish, and doesn’t anticipate any in the ACC.

“We’ve had a great, long-term relationship with Notre Dame,” he said. “I just never saw that as an issue in the Big East, as much as you heard talk about it. … We never personally subscribed to that. They were really historically our closest partner in the Big East.”

Pederson relayed that experience to ACC commissioner John Swofford during negotiations with Notre Dame.

“John is great. He talks to everybody in the league about everything,” Pederson said. “So you always know what’s going on. And he and I talked about a myriad of things, including Notre Dame. You didn’t know how all of this would play itself out. I didn’t know if we’d get to an agreement. But I’m glad that we did.”

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick and president Rev. John Jenkins said they have no intention of forgoing football independence and that it is “central” to the school’s identity. But if negotiations on a new television contract with NBC – the current deal expires in 2015 – deadlock, or if football’s postseason structure changes again …

“None of us could have predicted what transpired in the last two years,” Pederson said, “and so you can’t predict what the future might hold. But it’s nice to have the commitments that if things change, you know where they’re going. That’s pretty important.

“I think one thing they’ll find is, once they’re in the ACC and they’re dealing with all these people, they’re going to be just like us, which is, they’re going to be ecstatic at the relationships. Whatever our expectations were, everything has surpassed that.”

Even without full membership, Pederson believes Notre Dame will increase the ACC’s television value and give the conference more leverage in arranging its secondary bowl lineup.

Notre Dame’s agreement to play five football games each season against the ACC, rotating among the 14 full-time members, figures to curtail Pitt’s annual series against the Irish, contracted through 2016. The rivalry dates to 1909, and this marks its fifth consecutive season.

Pederson hopes the interruption allows the Panthers to renew a series with Penn State. So with sacrifice comes opportunity.

“I’ve always admired the fact that the NFL always does what’s right for the league,” Pederson said. “I think that’s the reason they’re so strong and so viable. They’ve always put the league above individual teams. And when I’m in the ACC I feel that same way.

“You know, people already made some scheduling concessions when we came into the league. Some people gave up some home-and-home basketball series they would have loved to continue. But they did what was right for the league. Now this is kind of our turn to do what’s right for the league.”

Pitt basketball coach Jamie Dixon, a confessed realignment junkie, said he was not surprised at Notre Dame’s ACC decision. In fact, shortly after the Panthers received their invitation last year, Dixon bumped into Irish coach Mike Brey.

“They’re on our schedules anyway,” Chryst said, immediately launching into more pressing matters. “What’s Virginia Tech gonna do on third down, and how are we gonna stop the big quarterback?”

NOTE: I interviewed Chryst, Dixon and Pederson in conjunction with my trip here for Saturday’s game. Look for much more from them about Pitt’s 2013 ACC arrival in Saturday’s Daily Press and here online.

I can be reached at 247-4636 or by e-mail at dteel@dailypress.com. Follow me at twitter.com/DavidTeelatDP

ESPN reported all of this a decade ago. The assumptions since the first ACC expansion saga have been 1. ND could join the Big Ten anytime it wanted but probably would not 2. ND would never join the Big East for football 3. Notre Dame would probably end up in the ACC but not for football unless they were locked out of the (then) BCS championship.

So now you change "BCS championship" to "playoff" but nothing else has changed. Well, nothing has changed except that the Big East's destruction has forced Notre Dame to take partial shelter in the ACC.

ESPN reported all of this a decade ago. The assumptions since the first ACC expansion saga have been 1. ND could join the Big Ten anytime it wanted but probably would not 2. ND would never join the Big East for football 3. Notre Dame would probably end up in the ACC but not for football unless they were locked out of the (then) BCS championship.

So now you change "BCS championship" to "playoff" but nothing else has changed. Well, nothing has changed except that the Big East's destruction has forced Notre Dame to take partial shelter in the ACC.

What is different is that since then the SEC has gone to 14, the B1G has gone to 14, the ACC has gone to 14, the Pac tried to go to 14, but had to settle for 12 since A&M went to the SEC and blew up the original agreement. The Big East football has imploded and most if not all of the insiders think that expansion is far from over and even ND is talking more and more about the fact that if they have to be in a conference to make the NC in football...they will join a conference.

What is different is that since then the SEC has gone to 14, the B1G has gone to 14, the ACC has gone to 14, the Pac tried to go to 14, but had to settle for 12 since A&M went to the SEC and blew up the original agreement. The Big East football has imploded and most if not all of the insiders think that expansion is far from over and even ND is talking more and more about the fact that if they have to be in a conference to make the NC in football...they will join a conference.

I don't disagree with you Stetch, but in the end, those same boosters and fans won't go anywhere if ND were to join a conference. They'll still be fans and big boosters. They may not be happy but their loyalty will still be with ND.

Originally Posted by Stech

Their administration has got it...it is the big boosters and big fans that need to this to be more of an evolution than a revolution.